Election Issues: Education

[maccatak11]

BER (Building the Education Revolution) money has allowed us to build a $1.5 million ICT centre, and to complete a wireless network upgrade of our entire school. Every classroom now has (or will about to have) wireless access to our server and to the internet.

Ahrens engineering, a local company from Shea Oak Log (near Gawler) built the building, and Kleemann's Building (a Waikerie company) got the tender to do some demolition work for the existing structure that was there.

Plus, remember Ruddy's "Laptop for Every Child" plan? Well our school has around 180 laptops ready to go when the wireless upgrade of our school is complete. This means that at any one time, EVERY student from years 9-12 (around 280-300 students) could be using a computer AT THE SAME TIME!

There are some issues with implementation/storage/security and ICT staffing that have to be sorted out with this upgrade, but the money spent will see some of the biggest improvements seen in schooling infrastructure seen since the 1950's. Contrary to belief, our school can benefit from any extra money left over after the completion of the building (i.e. if we do a working bee to do some landscaping or something, we get to use the money budgeted for landscaping on other buildings/grounds projects)

The issue was of course issues with how efficiently the money allocated for this was spent (and whether the building companies were 'cashing in') but i choose to look at the fact that this was a government that heavily invested in education (im pretty biased in this respect of course), which is way better than spending nothing. The liberals in comparison have remained amazingly quiet on education issues, announcing a few new schools for students with disabilities - but it has also be found out that they want to cut at least $15-$20m from the education budget. CUT MONEY - not just use existing investments more effectively.

I know around 3-4 millions dollars has been spent on facility upgrades in WAIKERIE alone (at primary and high schools) making these excellent facilities for both school and community use.


Ok now for some downsides to Labor's education policy. Has anybody actually been on the myschool website?

Here is an example for you
http://www.myschool.edu.au/Main.aspx?Pa ... rYear=2009


Ok that was the waikerie high school page. All looks fine, gives some decent information (much of which is already known and public knowledge). Ok now the main argument of the government is that parents should be able to compare schools that are similar to each other?

So, click on the link at the top left to compare against 'like' schools.
Belridge Senior High School, Beldon WA 6027 568
Billabong High School, Culcairn NSW 2660 583
Boddington District High School, Boddington WA 6390 587
Bordertown High School, Bordertown SA 5268 578
Bullsbrook District High School, Bullsbrook WA 6084 551
Bundaberg North State High School, Bundaberg North QLD 4670 553
Burnie High School, Cooee TAS 7320 572
Campania District High School, Campania TAS 7026 542
Campbell Town District High School, Campbell Town TAS 7210 538
Canowindra High School, Canowindra NSW 2804

Here is a list of the top 10 'statistically similar' schools.

Tell me what use this is to parents if they are trying to work out which school to send their children to, given that they might live in regional south australia?


And don't even get me started on comparing ENTIRE schools, based on one week of testing with one cohort of students. Click on the 2008 year for WHS. You will see that it is around average, but it some cases below. Then click back to 2009 and you will see that WHS is above average in almost every respect.

Did our school suddenly turn from below average to well above it in one year? Our leadership was the same. The subjects we offered were the same, and 90% of our teaching staff was the same, and the way in which we ran the testing was the same! Obviously the differences in the cohort of students (and their background etc) counts for more than school structure.

Gillard has repeatedly said when she was education minister that "my school website is good because now we know what schools need extra funding." NEWSFLASH IDIOT - the government has known this information for YEARS and had not modified any existing funding models, so why do it only after publishing confusing and misleading information to everyone.

I am certainly not against providing parents with more information about their school, but the my school website does nothing but confuse people, or tell them information (like enrolements etc) that they already knew. It is WAY WAY too simplistic.

More power to hire and fire for principals is a good thing though. Especially the fire thing actually. Principals get who they want in 99% of cases at the moment by writing very specific job descriptions that suit the person they want - i.e. we need a person with skills in drama, and media studies with much experience in running productions in a professional environment (low and behold somebody who was on a contract at our school had exactly those skills).


So im kinda on the fence actually. I voted labour at the last election because they were going to invest more in the education system, and they have done that, but a lot of the policies they are talking about are nothing new, and once the BER money (which has mostly been spent) runs out, im not sure what else they have to give.

Education is of course the main issue that will swing my vote. I didnt really like gillard when she was education minister, and i never liked simon crean either, but i really havent heard anything from abbott and co to convince me otherwise.

[bennymacca]

good points ITT

[Bacon]

How has the forum gone for 3 years without you ever mentioning Kleemann's Construction???????

[Matty Norwood]

How has the forum gone for 3 years without you ever mentioning Kleemann's Construction???????

this

[maccatak11]

How has the forum gone for 3 years without you ever mentioning Kleemann's Construction???????

I feel a photo-chop coming on!!

Coleman as the construction worker from the YMCA??

[AceLosesKing]

How has the forum gone for 3 years without you ever mentioning Kleemann's Construction???????

this

+1

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[rcon]

Good points 2t, I'll try and give another perspective on them tonight